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Machine Learning · head to head

Snowflake vs Tigris

Snowflake logo

Snowflake

Machine Learning

The AI Data Cloud for enterprise data warehousing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tigris logo

Tigris

File Storage

Globally distributed S3-compatible object storage with zero egress fees

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Snowflake no flat subscription price is published - cost varies by edition, cloud provider, and region and requires a separate calculator or credit-consumption table; Tigris lowest tier still more expensive than some cold storage alternatives
  • They diverge on capability: Snowflake covers Separated Compute/Storage, Tigris covers Global Distribution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Snowflake and Tigris actually diverge.

Attributes where Snowflake and Tigris differ
AttributeSnowflakeTigris
Pricing modelUnknownUsage-based tiered storage with per-request fees
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, API, CLI
CategoryMachine LearningFile Storage
Founded2012Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Snowflake

  • Separated Compute/Storage
  • Near-zero Maintenance
  • Data Sharing
  • Time Travel
  • Cloning
  • Multi-cluster Warehouse
  • Semi-structured Data
  • dbt

Only in Tigris

  • Global Distribution
  • Zero Egress Fees
  • S3 Compatibility
  • Multiple Storage Classes
  • Object Notifications
  • API Access

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Snowflake

  • Cloud data warehousing and SQL analyticsnot Tigris
  • Data engineering and ELT pipelinesnot Tigris
  • Data sharing and marketplacenot Tigris
  • AI/ML workloads via Snowpark and Cortexnot Tigris
  • BI backend for tools such as Tableau and Power BInot Tigris

Tigris

  • Storing and versioning AI training datasets without egress penaltiesnot Snowflake
  • Distributing model checkpoints and artifacts globallynot Snowflake
  • Serving static assets with low latency across regionsnot Snowflake
  • Multi-cloud data portability with standardized APInot Snowflake

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Snowflake

  • No flat subscription price is published - cost varies by edition, cloud provider, and region and requires a separate calculator or credit-consumption table
  • Free trial is capped at $400 in credits or 30 days, whichever comes first, not a perpetual free tier
  • During the trial, certain features (external network access, hybrid tables, Openflow) are capped at 10 credits/day until a payment method is added
  • Total cost combines compute credits, storage, and data transfer billed separately

Tigris

  • Lowest tier still more expensive than some cold storage alternatives
  • Retrieval charges on infrequent access tier add cost variability
  • Limited to object storage, no file system semantics
  • Archive retrieval requires planning ahead

Pricing, plan by plan

Snowflake

Free
  • Standard$undefined/mo
    • Consumption-based, per-credit pricing
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Consumption-based, per-credit pricing
  • Business Critical$undefined/mo
    • Consumption-based, per-credit pricing
  • Virtual Private Snowflake$undefined/mo
    • Consumption-based, per-credit pricing

Tigris

Free
  • Standard Storage$0.02/GB/month
    • Frequently accessed data
    • No retrieval charges
    • Free data egress
  • Infrequent Access$0.01/GB/month
    • Lower storage cost
    • Retrieval: $0.01 per GB
    • 30-day minimum retention
  • Archive$0.004/GB/month
    • Lowest storage cost
    • Free retrieval
    • 90-day minimum retention
  • Archive Instant Retrieval$0.004/GB/month
    • Archive storage cost
    • Instant retrieval: $0.03 per GB
    • 90-day minimum retention

Which should you pick?

Choose Snowflake if

  • You need separated compute/storage.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want near-zero maintenance.
Snowflake review

Choose Tigris if

  • You need global distribution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API, CLI.
  • You also want zero egress fees.
Tigris review

Questions people ask

Is Snowflake or Tigris better?
Neither clearly leads. Snowflake starts at Free and Tigris at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Snowflake or Tigris?
Snowflake starts at Free and Tigris at Free.
Does Snowflake or Tigris run on more platforms?
Snowflake runs on Web, API. Tigris runs on Web, API, CLI.
Can I use Snowflake for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Snowflake best used for?
Snowflake is most often used for cloud data warehousing and sql analytics, data engineering and elt pipelines, data sharing and marketplace, ai/ml workloads via snowpark and cortex. Of those, cloud data warehousing and sql analytics and data engineering and elt pipelines are not what Tigris is typically brought in for.
What can Snowflake do that Tigris cannot?
Snowflake covers Separated Compute/Storage, Near-zero Maintenance, Data Sharing, Time Travel. Tigris covers Global Distribution, Zero Egress Fees, S3 Compatibility, Multiple Storage Classes.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Snowflake: How is Snowflake priced?

Snowflake uses a consumption based model. Compute is billed in credits and storage is charged monthly on the average amount stored after compression. Capacity can be bought on demand or pre-paid.

Source
Tigris: Is there a free tier?

Yes, new users receive 5 GB of Standard storage monthly plus 10,000 Class A and 100,000 Class B requests at no cost.

Source
Snowflake: What Snowflake editions are there?

Snowflake sells four editions: Standard as the entry level offering, Enterprise for high growth and large scale customers, Business Critical for regulated industries handling sensitive data, and Virtual Private Snowflake for a completely isolated environment.

Source
Tigris: What are the request costs?

Class A requests cost $0.005 per 1,000 requests, Class B requests cost $0.0005 per 1,000 requests. DELETE and CANCEL operations are free.

Source
Snowflake: Does Snowflake publish a per credit price?

Not on its pricing options page. Snowflake directs buyers to its Credit Consumption Table and a pricing calculator for the rates, which vary by edition, region and cloud provider.

Source
Tigris: Do I get charged for data egress?

No, Tigris provides free data egress across all storage tiers.

Source
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